Issue - decisions

The Council considered the recommendation of Cabinet on the detailed Revenue Budget for 2020-21 and the proposed Council Tax for 2020-21. The Mayor referred councillors to the Budget Book (green cover) reflecting the decisions and recommendations made by Cabinet on 26 February 2020, including the precepts being levied by Surrey County Council and the Surrey Police.

It was moved, seconded and 

Resolved to agree that in accordance with Standing Order 20.4, the respective Budget speeches of the Group Leaders may each exceed 10 minutes in length if necessary.

The Leader of the Council, Councillor I.T.E. Harvey made a statement on the Budget and the Council Tax and moved the recommendations on the detailed Budget for 2020-21 as set out in the report circulated in the Budget Book.  The Leader of the Liberal Democrats Group, Councillor S. Dunn then made a statement.

A copy of Councillors Harvey’s and Dunn’s speeches are attached to these minutes as Appendices A and B respectively.

During the debate on this item, it was moved, seconded and

Resolved to suspend Standing Order 5, Duration of Meeting, to allow the meeting to continue until the completion of this item of business.

At the conclusion of the debate on the Revenue Budget, the Mayor explained it was a legal requirement to record in the minutes of the proceedings the names of the persons who cast a vote for the decision or who abstained from voting.

Councillor J. Boughtflower left the meeting before the vote was called.

The voting was as follows:

The motion was carried.

Resolved to:

1. Continue the Council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme with the current rules and regulations;
2. Continue the complete disregard of war pension / armed forces pension income from benefit calculations;
3. Agree the growth and savings items as set out in the report’s appendices;
4. Note the Chief Finance Officer’s commentary in section 4 of the report on the robustness of budget estimates and levels of reserves under sections 25 and 26 of the Local Government Act 2003;
5. Agree the Council Tax Base for the whole council area for 2020/21. [Item T in the formula in Section 31b(3) of the local government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “act”)] should be 40,085.00 band D equivalent dwellings and calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purpose for 2020/21 is £205.05 Per Band D equivalent dwelling;
6. Approve a 1.29% increase on Band D in the Spelthorne Borough Council element of the Council Tax for 2020/21. Moreover:

a)    The revenue estimates as set out in Appendix 1 be approved.

b)    No Money, as set out in this report is appropriated from General Reserves in support of Spelthorne’s local Council tax for 2020/21.

c)    Agree that the Council Tax base for the year 2020/21 is 40,085.00 band D equivalent dwellings calculated in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council tax base) Regulations 1992, as amended, made under Section 35(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992;

7. Agree that the following sums be now calculated by the Council for the year 2019/20 in accordance with Section 31 to 36 of the Local Government Act 1992:

8. Agree that the following amounts be calculated for the year 2020/21 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011: 

Being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at (F) above by the number which in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the sum which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band ‘D’, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different band.

9. Agree to note that for the year 2020/21 Surrey County Council and Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to Spelthorne Borough Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

Precepts issued to the Council

10. Agree that, having calculated the aggregate in each case above, the Council in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011, hereby sets the amounts as the amounts of Council tax for the year 2020/21.

The Council has determined that its relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2020/21 is not excessive in accordance with the principles approved under Section 52ZB Local Government Finance Act 1992.

As the billing authority, the council has not been notified by a major precepting authority that its relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2020/21 is excessive and that the billing authority is not required to hold a referendum in accordance with Section 52ZK Local Government Finance Act 1992.

At the conclusion of this item, the Deputy Mayor adjourned the meeting and the remaining items of business would be deferred until the next ordinary meeting of the Council on 30 April 2020.

Cabinet considered the Revenue Budget for 2020/21.

The revenue budget for 2020/21 a very positive picture: a balanced budget had been proposed without the use of reserves, with investment being made in retaining staff, addressing resourcing issues. The Council’s operational service assets were maintained and revenue contributions made to Capital. The proposed budget was underpinned by an increase in Council Tax of just below inflation as measured by CPI with an increase proposed of 1.29% [January CPI 1.3%].

Resolved to recommend Council to agree to:

1. Continuing the Council’s Local Council Tax Support Scheme with the current rules and regulations;
2. Continuing the complete disregard of war pension / armed forces pension income from benefit calculations;
3. The growth and savings items as set out in the report’s appendices;
4. Note the Chief Finance Officer’s commentary in section 4 of the report on the robustness of budget estimates and levels of reserves under sections 25 and 26 of the Local Government Act 2003;
5. The Council Tax Base for the whole council area for 2020/21. [Item T in the formula in Section 31b(3) of the local government Finance Act 1992, as amended (the “act”)] should be 40,085.00 band D equivalent dwellings and calculate that the Council Tax requirement for the Council’s own purpose for 2020/21 is £205.05 Per Band D equivalent dwelling;
6. To approve a 1.29% increase on Band D in the Spelthorne Borough Council element of the Council Tax for 2020/21. Moreover:

a)    The revenue estimates as set out in Appendix 1 be approved.

b)    No Money, as set out in this report is appropriated from General Reserves in support of Spelthorne’s local Council tax for 2020/21.

c)    To agree that the Council Tax base for the year 2020/21 is 40,085.00 band D equivalent dwellings calculated in accordance with regulation 3 of the Local Authorities (Calculation of Council tax base) Regulations 1992, as amended, made under Section 35(5) of the Local Government Finance Act 1992.

That the following sums be now calculated by the Council for the year 2019/20 in accordance with Section 31 to 36 of the Local Government Act 1992.

That the following amounts be calculated for the year 2020/21 in accordance with Sections 31 to 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011. 

Being the amounts given by multiplying the amount at (F) above by the number which in the proportion set out in Section 5(1) of the Act, is applicable to dwellings listed in a particular valuation band divided by the sum which in that proportion is applicable to dwellings listed in valuation band ‘D’, calculated by the Council, in accordance with Section36(1) of the Act, as the amounts to be taken into account for the year in respect of categories of dwellings listed in different band.

That it be noted  that for the year 2020/21 Surrey County Council and Surrey Police and Crime Commissioner have stated the following amounts in precepts issued to Spelthorne Borough Council in accordance with Section 40 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 for each of the categories of dwellings shown below:

Precepts issued to the Council

That, having calculated the aggregate in each case above the Council in accordance with Sections 30 and 36 of the Local Government Finance Act 1992 as amended by the Localism Act 2011, hereby sets the amounts as the amounts of Council tax for the year 2020/21.

The Council has determined that its relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2020/21 is not excessive in accordance with the principles approved under Section 52ZB Local Government Finance Act 1992.

As the billing authority, the council has not been notified by a major precepting authority that its relevant basic amount of Council Tax for 2020/21 is excessive and that the billing authority is not required to hold a referendum in accordance with Section 52ZK Local Government Finance Act 1992.

Reason for Decision

The Authority is required to set a balanced budget and a Council tax rate for the financial year 2020/21.